ACLU Obtains Records On Leopold Background Checks

As Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold faces criminal charges for illegally using his police security detail for personal and political use, evidence out today showed members of the security detail conducted background checks on three critics of the county executive.

The ACLU filed a Maryland Public Information Act request with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The ACLU found that members the detail conducted background checks on former County Councilman Thomas Redmond, and activists Carl Snowden and Louis Bracy.

Bracy is also a law enforcement officer for the National Security Agency.

ACLU attorney David Rocha told WBAL News that Bracy's file background check was obtained in 2008 by William Hyers, who at the time was working as a contract employee on Leopold's detail after retiring from as an Anne Arundel County Police officer. Rocha said Hyers should not have had legal authority to conduct background checks, because he was not an active duty law enforcement officer.

Rocha also says Leopold and Police Chief James Teare owe the taxpayer an explanation for their actions.

That's not likely as both Leopold and the Chief are refusing to comment.

Teare does not face any criminal charges, but he did testify at before the grand jury that indicted Leopold in March.

He has refused to answer questions posed by the Anne Arundel County Council on advice of attorneys.

"They (Leopold and Teare) have not answered any questions, and in the case of the police chief that's doubly appalling, because he is not under indictment and he is still running the police department," Rocha told WBAL News.